TROUBLESHOOTERS

Postponed
China has delayed the execution of three Filipinos found guilty of drug smuggling. That was the good news that reverberated last Friday from Beijing to Manila – and to the Spratly Islands.

Vice President Jejomar Binay said China’s decision to delay the execution of three Filipinos was historic since Beijing has never postponed executions in the past. In fact, not even Great Britain was able to stop the execution of a British national in 2009 for drug smuggling. But then again, Britain does not lay claim to the Spratlys.

Some political observers say the stay of execution for three Filipinos could be related to the Spratly dispute. Manila goes “quiet” on its claim on the islands, Beijing delays the execution. Squid pro quo.

Special Envoys
Three days after sending Vice President Jejomar Binay to China, President Aquino sent former senator Mar Roxas to Taiwan. Last Friday, China postponed the execution of three Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking in Beijing. Samar Group, 1: Balay Group, 0.

Three Filipinos were to be executed in China and Jejomar Binay was sent to Beijing. Fourteen Taiwanese were deported to mainland China by the Philippines; Taiwan got mad and Mar Roxas was sent to Taipei. Rumors say the original choice for the Beijing trip was Roxas but Chinese officials opted to meet Binay citing its “one VP policy.”

Losing vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas was sent to Taiwan to “seek understanding.” Unconfirmed reports say while Taiwanese officials graciously welcomed Roxas, they refused to accept his explanation saying the one year ban on defeated candidates was still in effect.

This just in (11:30PM Tuesday):
Reports say Taiwan is still unhappy despite Mar Roxas’ visit. Or as Conrado De Quiros and the Samar Group would call it, “failed mission.”

RH Bill
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has reportedly pulled out of the Reproductive Health bill dialogue with the government. But President Aquino is not giving up on the CBCP yet. To appease the bishops, he is sending Vice President Binay to talk to them.

The CBCP has pulled out of the RH Bill talks with the government. Malacañang is accusing the bishops of practicing ‘withdrawal method.’

Receiving an instruction from their professor, UST students flooded Akbayan’s Facebook page with anti-RH Bill remarks complete with their full names, courses, and school. That’s not surprising though. It’s really hard to change the mindset of a 400-year-old.

And then there were 3!
TV5 has unveiled its own news channel while GMA Network is set to launch GMA News TV on February 28. Senators and congressmen can’t wait to conduct more inquiries and investigations in aid of legislation.

Edsa Anniversary
The country is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Edsa People Power on Friday. Some 5,000 policemen will be deployed to provide security. And that’s for the President’s Porsche alone.

According to the EDSA People Power Commission, everything is set for the country’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution. Several activities have been lined up for Friday’s momentous occasion. The expected highlight of the event is the launching of the government’s own news channel.

Smokin’ President
Palace spokesman Attorney Edwin Lacierda says President Aquino has cut down on smoking. In fact, the President now consumes only half… of each cigarette stick that he lights up.

ER the Actor
Reports say former character actor, now Laguna Governor ER Ejercito is making not just one but two comeback movies this year… totally disproving the notion that very bad acting is never rewarded.

ER Ejercito will star in the Emilio Aguinaldo biopic. The Laguna governor is flattered. It will be the first movie in which he won’t play a crazed junkie.

Donaire Wins
Nonito Donaire Jr. has won the WBC/WBO bantamweight titles by knocking out Fernando Montiel of Mexico last Sunday. Donaire has practically won every single fight he had in the past 12 months… except for that one against his parents.

Korina and Mar
Interviewed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Korina Sanchez categoricallydenied rumors she and Mar Roxas have called it quits telling an entertainment columnist, “My relationship with Mar has become deeper, more nourishing and happier.” In the interest of fairness, the Philippine Daily Inquirer will try to get the side of Roxas as soon as possible.
——————————-“I must acknowledge, once and for all, that the purpose of diplomacy is to prolong a crisis.”
~Star Trek, Mr. Spock

LIES
aquino promised to give up smoking if elected. The palace now says he only said he would cut down!! Even on small issues they have to lie and spin. He needs to smoke to de-stress is the reason – same as needing a porsche.
If you cant take the heat get out of the kitchen.
If he was any more laid back he would be horizontal.

REAL ESTATE
As aquino readies to give away the spratly’s, his master cojuangco has been meeting chinas richest man -owner of wahaha- to arrange sale of part of hacienda luisita, once a pro aquino court settles in his favour to legally steal the land.

Sad to say that while the OFWs go abroad to bring in the funds needed for their families here to survive, we have to shoulder and provide funds to get them out of trouble. Ang dami ng troubles pa mandin ngayon…throw in the people power movements in the middle east in addition to being victims of bad employers, being drug mules, earthquakes, etc. The Filipinos are everywhere and in big numbers now compared to what I have observed in my younger years doing the rounds of meetings/attachment programs in Asia and Europe. That was in the late 70s and early ’80s. At konti lang ang disasters noon. Ngayon sabay-sabay halos.

Having seen people, families and communities wrecked by drugs, must we really direct public funds to save drug dealers and couriers from punishment? Is not diplomacy also based on the rule of law rather than on pity for criminals?

this is what you get when leadership is shortsighted. Sa tingin ko walang malasakit at pagmamahal sa bayan ang mga namumuno sa ating bansa. the country is run like a sari-sari store. we are led by mediocre people who are no better than those they are criticizing!

God forbid that peenoy deliver us to the chinese! Reminds me of the movie Seven Years in Tibet.

first, you have to be an activist; a certified conducive ploy. then, schemingly but surreptitiously, as in hindi halata, you deliberately lay your hands on all things possible and make them your own, also with caution, unwittingly showing off your true colors, until you finally amass props in huge proportions, until you are able to establish your territory and muster the strength of grip to cling to power and never detach from it, as in nasarapan! marami nang ganyan sa iba’t ibang teritoryo natin!. and we the by-standers just allow this happen like rain… get the umbrella, seek shelter, or simply dance in it!

Binay being the vice-president on being sent to China is diplomacy.
Roxas being a troubleshooter with no official political powers is like sending a dog with no teeth to confront a pack of wolves – no bites just barks 😦

In fairness to PNoy, he cannot send an official (whether the effective VP Binay or DFA Sec Romulo) to Taipei without breaching the One China Policy.

The choice of Roxas (his defeated running mate) was actually a brilliant diplomatic choice. If the Taiwanese government is properly briefed by its “Ambassador” to Manila, it would appreciate how “high level” and as “close to official as possible without being actually official” is the designated emissary.

What remains to be seen is whether Roxas would be successful like Binay.

In a death row matter, getting a stay (even for just one day) and extending the convict’s life is victory enough.

This diplomatic action with Taiwan is an official function. I wonder under what official capacity Roxas is acting? Even Imelda had to use her official capacity as First Lady when she did those diplomatic stuff.

Sending Mar Roxas abroad was just a palabas on the part of P-Noy. He wanted to show our OFWs that he cares for them. It was really a mistake to have shipped those Taiwanese Chinese to the mainland. They should have been shipped to Taiwan and let Taiwan handle meting out of punishment.
With the way it was done, shipping them to PROC because of the one-China policy only made things worse. Hindi naman kasi issue dito ang one-China policy. Ang tanong, taga saan ang mga nahuli? Sagot: taga Taiwan or ROC. E di i-ship back sa ROC/Taiwan.

As Pongster mentioned, the Philippine Government cannot and will not send a Government official to Taiwan as it maintains the one China Policy. That is the reason why we have MECO to act in the interest of the PH thru economic ties, diplomatic matters such as these must be done using a workaround (i.e. sending a private individual as an emmisary of the President)

PH didn’t send the alleged TW criminals to PROC NOT because of the OCP but because the criminals failed to present proof that they were TW nationals, that is why the Government is steadfast in saying that there was/is a presumption of regularity in the execution of the deporation proceedings. That is why PH Government will not apologize to TW.

And by the way, a first Lady/Gentleman does not have any (by default) official function/designation as a representative of a Government other than being the spouse of the sitting President.

“TV5 has unveiled its own news channel while GMA Network is set to launch GMA News TV on February 28. Senators and congressmen can’t wait to conduct more inquiries and investigations in aid of legislation.”

couldn’t they find a better person in a “private capacity” to talk to taiwan? another set back to Mr. Palengke. maybe he should have been sent to countries who will to take in the OFWs who will lose their jobs in taiwan.

No wonder PNoy would rather drive his porsche than do work…he is now “hilong-talilontg” sa napakadaming issues that are too hot to handle…the people power revolts in the mid-east, the Chinese, the Taiwanese (actually the same lang silang intsek!), the local scandals of the AFP, PNP and the rising prices of everything and crimininality! Hahaha…I just hope he won’t get too tight up!

if china is bent on curtailing or eradicating the drug menace, they should not detain these drug mules they catch. palamunin nila yung drug mules ng bomba pagnahuli na sa airport and release them. the moment these mules meet with their contacts, sabog sila lahat…not from the drugs.

why should we intercede for the drug mules who must have received money to carry the illegal substances. they were not under duress when they agreed to carry the packages.if they broke the law then they should be ready for the penalty. The government is the great ENABLER here!

let me say in advance of the singson verdict. people will be surprised and angry.
and they will be paying his fine, courtesy of the 90 million pork barrel and as he wont resign congress will suspend not expel him.
even judges in hong kong can be bribed
and there has been a lot of under the counter negotiation.
what a disgrace to all concerned.

something has gone awry with the filipino values.whereas before , right is distinct from wrong, nowadays its mostly gray areas. this is dangerous and can be a forerunner of anarchy.

we cannot rewind time. for a better future and enlightened citizenry we have to catch the young minds early at home and in school and teach them to love God,country,family and be mindful of self and neighbors.Education is the key.